Improvement in roller-skates



J. II.l BOWEN. RolflerfSkates.

No. 208,508. Patented Oct. 1,1878.

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N. PETERS. PHDTGLITHonmwFn WASHINGTON D C UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. BOWEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IM PROVEM ENT IN RO LLER-SKATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,508, dated October1, 1878; application filed June 4, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. BOWEN, of the city and county ofPhiladelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovementA in Roller-Skates, which improvement is fully set forth inthe following specification and accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a side elevation, partly sectional, of the skate embodying myinvention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view thereof. Fig. 3 is a front view the:eof.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures.

My invention relates to a roller-skate whose rollers or wheels aremounted on axles, which may be readily turned laterally by the weight ofthe body thrown to the side, so as to change direction of skating. v

l employ horizontally-arranged spindles, which rotate on vertical posts,to whose lower ends are journaled the axles of the rollers, the hubswhereof are formed with toothed segments, which engage with toothedsegments suspended from the foot-rest, whereby, as the foot-rest isinclined, motion is imparted to the suspended segments, which, gearingwith the toothed segments of the axles, cause the latter to turn fromtheir rightangular positions, and thus change the direction of the skatelaterally, as desired, the construction and operation of parts beinghereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the tread or foot-rest of theskate, which is provided with straps or other suitable fastenings. Brepresents spindles, which are secured to the under side of the rest,and project horizontally in opposite directions. O represents verticalposts, whose upper ends are mounted on the spindles B, and to theirlower ends there are journaled the axles D of the rollers E.

A portion of the hub of each axle D has formed with or secured to it atoothed segment, F, which meshes with a toothed segment, Gr, on avertical arm, H, suspended from the foot-rest.

It will be noticed that the segments F project horizontally in oppositedirections. On the upper ends of the posts C there arelaterally-projecting wings a, between which and the foot-rest there areinterposed coiled rubber or other springs H', which are secured inposition in any proper manner.

When the skating is straightforward, the front and rear axles areparallel or at right angles to the length of the foot-rest. When,however, it is desired to change direction laterally or describe acurve, the body of the skater is thrown to the relative side. Thisinclines the foot-rest, and consequently the arms H; the segments Grwhereof, meshing with the segments F of the axles, turn the latter fromtheir right-angular position, the effect of which is to cause the twoaxles to assume different angles, so that the rollers on one sideapproach each other, and those on the opposite side recede from eachother, whereby, while the rollers remain on the ground or iioor, theirpaths of motion are changed to the right or left relatively to theincline imparted to the body in the direction desired to proceed.

When the body is again brought upright, the rollers assume their normalpositions, the springs H assisting the operation, and the skating willbe due ahead or forward. The springs H also provide a cushion betweenthe foot-rest and rollers, and intermediate parts for preventing strainthereon and easing the operation of skating.

In order to limit the swing of the axles, stops b b b are formed onproper parts of the hubs of the axles and the posts O, which are sodisposed that the axles may move to the requisite extent without,however, swinging or turning dangerously.

If desired, each axle may have a single wheel arranged centrally on it,in lieu of two wheels on the ends of the same 5 but the operation willbe the same in either case.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The foot-rest having horizontal spindles B and vertical arms H, withtoothed segments G, in combination with vertical posts C, mounted on thespindles, the springs H', and axles gearing F G, in combination with thestops D, journaled to said posts, and having toothed b b, arranged tooperate substantially as and segments F, which engage with the segmentsfor the purpose set forth.

of said arms, constructed and arranged sub- JAMES H. BOWEN. stantiallyas and for the purpose set forth. Witnesses:

2. The arms and spindles H B, vertical GEO. B. WILKINSON,

posts C, swinging axles D, and segmental JOHN A. WIEDERSHEIM.

